‘Gang of Eight’ Outline Released: Can We Have Border Security and a Better Immigration System?

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After months of hype and negotiations, extensive details of the bill from the bipartisan ”Gang of Eight” in the Senate were leaked to the press and interest groups Tuesday–when the bill was expected to be presented at a now postponed press event. The bill focuses on four points: securing the border, path to citizenship, interior enforcement and immigration overhaul.

USA Today reports that the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to create and implement a plan to monitor 100 percent of the southwest border with Mexico, and intercept 90 percent of people trying to illegally cross. The Hill notes more than 30,000 individuals are apprehended trying to illegally cross the border with Mexico each year.

If the bill passes some illegal immigrants that have arrived before Dec. 31, 2011 can gain temporary legal status, but most would have to wait 10 years and more than $2,000 in fines and penalties before applying for a green card while featuring a pathway to citizenship. The Tech industry is happy with the bill that nearly doubles the quota for H1B visas for high-skilled workers.

The left is not happy about the time it would take to go from illegal to full legal status, along with punitive fines; while many on the right still see the proposal as an amnesty bill that could drive down wages for U.S. workers.

“It’s still amnesty, everyone’s staying, no one’s going,” Buck Sexton said on ‘Real News‘ Tuesday. “What do people have to pay, which route are they going to take–I don’t see how it changes that much.”

Emily Ekins of Reason argued that the bill does good things to create competition and bring in skilled labor, questioning along with Amy Holmes if conservatives will ever be satisfied with how secure the border is, and why security can’t come with a less difficult path to citizenship.

“If you make it easier to come here legally, people will do that–people don’t want to live in the shadows,” Ekins says. Watch a clip from Tuesday’s show below: